So as I have researched what I need personally I have found that because of my extreme gluten intolerance (I'm avoiding gluten like the plague and am healing my guts) and my inability to digest proteins (if i even taste chicken or turkey I put on 10 pounds, seriously) I seriously lacking in quite a few vitamins. Zinc being one of them.

I started taking a Zinc supplement that is gluten free, dairy free, yeast free, corn free and also does not contain preservatives or additives.

My question... After I took zinc I felt like I had eaten red meat. When I use to eat red meat or even worse PORK... I'd get an almost bipolar reaction. I become a bit more aggressive and less peaceful. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there something that I can do to get Zinc without getting a meat eating lectin reaction?

I've bought a new one and will switch to see if there is any change. Have you used zinc at all? My hair was really shedding a lot as I've been extra compliant and totally stopped chicken and turkey to help me lose weight.

There's a bottle you can buy called "Zinc Status" it's the best way to test for zinc deficiency...it's a taste test. I recommend using this when you begin and every four weeks so that you don't get too much zinc.

If it tastes like water, then you have a deficiency, if it tastes terrible, you don't. It tasted like water for me, maybe mineral water after a few seconds, then I took 4 (or was it 8?) weeks of chelated zinc and it tasted pretty bad, so I stopped taking zinc.

It did help my health to correct the deficiency, but too much zinc can have bad effects, so it's good to check. I still use a throat spray with zinc for the occasional sore throat, but I stopped supplementing it for now.

You may have already read to not take copper if you're zinc deficient (and vice versa) because they compete for absorption. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc, except that they also have a lot of copper.

Type O+ Secretor. Long time believer, currently redeeming myself from a decade or so of spotty compliance. Mom of 2 (A & O), Wife of 1 (A).

I think Zinc for me O non messed with my nose and I can not seem to smell properly any more..

Is there not a safer way to take it.. ? like in foods??

I feel messed up most of the time I take anything others have man made.. food does not seem to do this.. I ONLY eat SUPER and Beneficials. (for me ALL else is like cheating .. ) but I am O non..

Being here is invaluable, but not enough. We need ALL the Doctors. I needed them for a very small cancer spot-I could never feel!!! Please do your mammograms! Doing so saved me from cancer later on. I am grateful! Thanks for learning from my experience! I was lucky! I wish the same for YOU!

I heard somewhere about a lawsuit against some of the zinc lozenge companies because it did mess with the sense of smell and taste. I don't know if some who used them didn't have a deficiency and got an overdose, or if something else was involved, like the form of zinc or its delivery method. That's why I was careful and monitored it as I went. Zinc and copper are pretty powerful as far as getting too much, you have to be careful. Some have more trouble with storing metals, as an explorer with a probable gene for hemochromatosis I'm pretty careful.

Look for foods with zinc, but without much copper, and it really doesn't take that much to correct a deficiency.

Type O+ Secretor. Long time believer, currently redeeming myself from a decade or so of spotty compliance. Mom of 2 (A & O), Wife of 1 (A).

By the way, it was pointed out to me a couple years ago on these forums that the gene for hemochromatosis is right next to (linked to) a gene for celiac disease. So even though celiacs are often deficient in things, like iron, they also tend to have a harder time getting rid of an excess of them. It's most likely an adaptation, if you can't absorb it well then you better hoard it when you get it.

I think I also remember reading that explorers can bounce between extremes of anemia and hemochromatosis, useful info for those celiac explorers who pop in on this thread.

Type O+ Secretor. Long time believer, currently redeeming myself from a decade or so of spotty compliance. Mom of 2 (A & O), Wife of 1 (A).

I am muscle testing and find this to be the best way to makes sure I don't over use. That's an interesting one about the mineral water taste test kind. I'll have to look that one up.

As for Copper. I am also low in that too. So in the end I'm contemplating having IV vitamin therapy. I think I will read up on it further. I don't take Copper and Zinc on the same days. I do know that Zinc is meant to bring back your taste and sense of smell. I have never heard of anyone losing their taste or sense of smell by getting too much zinc.

the zinc up the nose spray caused the damage.. as it entered the sinus.. they have since made it into a gel and now even added the q-tip to prevent it.. too many complaints..

I would rather eat my needs and if turkey legs does that, I would eat them once a week.

(interesting about the gene expression.. in O's its the B12.. similar story.. BTD makes all the difference! Eat your fruit and juice your vegetables and -- in my case eat turkey or meat with it..Nice!

Being here is invaluable, but not enough. We need ALL the Doctors. I needed them for a very small cancer spot-I could never feel!!! Please do your mammograms! Doing so saved me from cancer later on. I am grateful! Thanks for learning from my experience! I was lucky! I wish the same for YOU!

Zinc is recommended for people trying to detox from heavy metals. It can displace them from there position in organic molecules throughout your body. Maybe this is a detox reaction? I think the zinc test is a good idea. I supplement with zinc, too, but I haven't noticed any problems that I connect with zinc.

Zinc is recommended for people trying to detox from heavy metals. It can displace them from there position in organic molecules throughout your body. Maybe this is a detox reaction? I think the zinc test is a good idea. I supplement with zinc, too, but I haven't noticed any problems that I connect with zinc.

You're explaining more of what happened to me right there... it was all after that mercury exposure.

Goldie - Zinc nasal spray? Well that's understandable. As for turkey... if I eat it I put on 10 pounds in a day. I'm not even kidding. My glands swell up too. You'd think that as a nonnie that I would be able to eat more protein. Maybe this will change as I get healthier. But for now I have to just stay away from meat.... which is where zinc comes from.

I took a day off from taking zinc and actually took some copper cause I felt so sick. I felt that my body was going into detox. I'm still losing weight though and felt much better today. I have a few more in the old zinc bottle but I think I'll just throw it out and try the new kind I found. I'm hoping I don't feel like I've eaten red meat again after taking it. *crosses fingers*

Hope you can have meat soon we nonnies need it!Interesting when I went totally vegetarian years ago I got too peaceful like totally naive and placid, also anaemic (not saying anyone'd be the same). Maybe your digestion isn't handling meat cos you have bad bacteria build up or lack of stomach acid or even gall bladder problem? Are you getting bloating and indigestion from meat?

Good info on this thread Melissa Isa TJ Goldie everyone. My sense of taste disappears when I get low on zinc (I think) and sense of smell too. Then again found out I have asthma and that's a symptom of that too. Can also be copper deficiency causes that. ??

One sign of zinc deficiency is white marks on the nails. Haven't had those for years. Having oral lichen planus I need more zinc so I take it all the time. Recently tried a copper bracelet and tasted metallic taste in my mouth and got slightly psychotic - definitely don't need copper! Yuk.

Re: copper deficiency. Some people have high copper but it is biounavailable. Go figure! From what I see copper is high in vegetarian proteins (e.g. legumes) whereas zinc is higher in meats. So if you're going to go vegetarian you may need a zinc supplement. Supervision would be good but that zinc taste test that Melissa mentioned will be very useful. sorry to go on a bit!

I'm loving all the good info sharing. And me? Being too peaceful? That would be nice but Benjam'n (5 month old son) is teething already. When he screams it raises me cortisol levels so quickly that it's hard to be peaceful. I was just thinking the other day what a bad mother I personally would be if I wasn't eating for my blood type. WOW! Atleast he is just getting my worried, loving, caring side.

I do have copper that is bio unavailable. Or atleast I should say I did. One way to correct that is to water fast. Which I did for 17 days at one point because I intuitively felt that I needed to. If copper is out of balance is throws off your hormones too. It was the cause of my 9 miscarriages. That is not confirmed but after all that things I've studied it is the thing that makes the most sense.

I took my zinc which is Gluconate and this time I took it after eating. That worked way better! Of course I also switched brands. Does anyone know if I could go to my Dr and ask him to do a vitamin and mineral screening on me? I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask.

I'm loving all the good info sharing. And me? Being too peaceful? That would be nice but Benjam'n (5 month old son) is teething already. When he screams it raises me cortisol levels so quickly that it's hard to be peaceful. I was just thinking the other day what a bad mother I personally would be if I wasn't eating for my blood type. WOW! Atleast he is just getting my worried, loving, caring side.

That is the best reason why staying compliant is so rewarding.. ( I would be 400 pounds without this hopeful way of eating)

Quoted Text

I do have copper that is bio unavailable. Or atleast I should say I did. One way to correct that is to water fast. Which I did for 17 days at one point because I intuitively felt that I needed to. If copper is out of balance is throws off your hormones too. It was the cause of my 9 miscarriages. That is not confirmed but after all that things I've studied it is the thing that makes the most sense.

Your son is sooooo lucky that you where not a blood type negative.. I wish him and you much deserved happiness.

Quoted Text

I took my zinc which is Gluconate and this time I took it after eating. That worked way better! Of course I also switched brands. Does anyone know if I could go to my Dr and ask him to do a vitamin and mineral screening on me? I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask.

I am more and more convinced that DrD's supps are all I ever want first and foremost. Maybe there is a way for the shop to make them somewhat less expensive for those who commit to taking BTD sups long term.. maybe a shopping 'pool' would be possible. BUT even without, their service is so great, and the effectiveness is assured - they are worth it no matter what.

Being here is invaluable, but not enough. We need ALL the Doctors. I needed them for a very small cancer spot-I could never feel!!! Please do your mammograms! Doing so saved me from cancer later on. I am grateful! Thanks for learning from my experience! I was lucky! I wish the same for YOU!

Over the last couple weeks my hair has been shedding like crazy. Not like one or two hairs... but if I ran my fingers through my hair I would get upwards of 20 or more!

This of course was freaking me out! As I've been taking my zinc things have been noticeably changing. Today as I got in and than out of the bath and am still sitting here... I have only shed 4 hairs!!! ONLY FOUR!!! AMAZING!!!

I was worried all the hair I had grown back was going to go plus some. I used to wear a wig it was so bad. Thanks to my BTD and losing 50 pounds that I have managed to keep off even after having my son now. I still have weight to lose but atleast I'm not going to be bald! lol

Glad to hear your hair is hanging in there Christal You've one big success story with your son and your health keep doing a great job.Unbelievable how a few minerals can make such a big impact. I read too that copper and oestrogen are linked it's pretty amazing.

No one can help babies crying sending cortisol to the roof, it's a survival instinct built in over thousands of years! After being a Mum it affects you even more like maybe that's an epigenetic event that changes you forever (where's the happy crying smilie?). In a supermarket hearing a bub cry, used to get a letdown even sometimes!

Glad to hear your hair is hanging in there Christal You've one big success story with your son and your health keep doing a great job.Unbelievable how a few minerals can make such a big impact. I read too that copper and oestrogen are linked it's pretty amazing.

No one can help babies crying sending cortisol to the roof, it's a survival instinct built in over thousands of years! After being a Mum it affects you even more like maybe that's an epigenetic event that changes you forever (where's the happy crying smilie?). In a supermarket hearing a bub cry, used to get a letdown even sometimes!

lol You're so on the ball Symbi! I have been taking copper on and off with zinc. Taking them together would cancel them out. I just wrote about my thoughts on copper/hormonal connection with it to Rosebud, than came and read your response. And thank you! I am feeling better and better all the time. The other thing I shared with Rosebud was about gluten intolerance and my feeling that it is also part of the problem when it comes to hair loss. As celiac disease destroys the hair like things in the colon that help us absorb nutrition.

Yep! I was in the grocery store and someone else's baby started to cry. I had to get out of the store cause I started leaking through my shirt. Good thing I had a thick knitted cartigan on! I live in a small country town. I just don't want everyone talking about my milk leakage in the grocery store! haha